Orthodontic appliance



Filed Nov. 14, 1960 April 7, 1964 J. .1. SCHACHTER 3,127,677

' ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 7, 1964 J. SCHACHTER3,127,677

ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 14, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1964 J.J. SCHACHTER I 3,127,677

ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 14, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United StatesPatent 3,127,677 GRTHGDGNTIC APPLIANCE Joseph I. Schaehter, 2&9 (ZanadaBldg, Saskatoon, Easisatchewan, Canada Fiied Nov. 14, 1%h, Ser. No.69,126 (Ilaims priority, application Canada Sept. 28, 1960 11 tllaims.(Cl. 3214) This invention relates to orthodontic appliances and moreparticularly to space maintainers.

It is the present practice when fitting a patient with a spacemaintainer to fit a band on a tooth adjacent the edentulous area andtake an impression with the band in place. The band is then removed andaccurately placed in the impression and a model is poured. This modelsimulates the mouth with the band in place. The length of endentulousarea is then precisely measured and a space maintaining member of therequired length is prepared and welded or soldered to the band.

This procedure requires a higher degree of skill and laboratoryfacilities: as a general rule the practitioners will employ a laboratoryto manufacture the space-nantaining member and secure it to the band.

The present invention enables the entire operation to be completed inone visit, obviates the necessity for taking impressions, and the skilland precision previously required to fabricate a space maintainer. Thereis also no need to solder or weld the space maintaining member to theband.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an adjustablespace maintainer to restrain the migration of teeth into an edentulousarea.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a space maintainerwhich may be fitted with facility.

Accordingly this invention relates to an orthodontic appliance whichcomprises: a band for a first tooth; and a space-maintaining memberdetachably securable to said band, said spacing member including aconvolute portion thereby rendering the member longitudinally adjustableto engage a second tooth whereby said teeth are maintained in spacedrelation.

This invention is illustrated by way of example by the followingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View top view of a band in accordance with theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective top view of one embodiment of a spacing memberin accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a tooth with a band of FIGURE 1 and aspace-maintaining member of the type illustrated in FIGURE 2 securedthereto;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a space maintainer in ac cordance with theinvention and illustrates the relationship between the space-maintainingmember, the edentulous area and an adjacent tooth;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the space-maintaining member illustrated inFIGURE 2 taken along line 5--5 of that figure;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective top view of an alternative embodiment of aspace-maintaining member in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a View taken along line 7-7 of FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of an edentulous area where more than one toothis missing and also illustrates alternative means for securing thespace-maintaining member to an adjacent tooth;

FIGURE 9 is a vertical section taken along line 9-9 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of a space-maintaining member also beingemployed as a guide for a succedaneous tooth;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical section along line 11-11 of FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a plan View of a jaw showing an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention in a mouth having edentulous areas on both sidesof the median line; and

FIGURE 13 is a side View taken along line 1313 of FIGURE 12.

Band 1 of the present invention is shown in FIGURE 1. It is ofsubstantially conventional form and material. However, in theembodiments and uses illustrated by FIGURES 2 to 11 a strap 2 is securedto the outer surface of the band adjacent the area to be preserved. Aswill be seen from FIGURE 1 this strap, which is of metal similar to thatof the band, is substantially rectangular having a width less than thedepth of band 1, and has two spaced-apart transverse indentations 3 and4 formed therein, so that when secured to the band 1 by welding orsoldering in the manner shown, two upwardly extending tubes 5 and 6 areprovided to secure a space-maintaining member indicated generally at 7in FIGURE 2. It will of course be understood that each of the tubes maybe separately fabricated and individually secured to the band.

The space-maintaining member 7 illustrated in FIG- URES 2 to 5 comprisesa continuous piece of wire which is reversely bent into a substantiallyU-shaped form having side-arms 9 and It and an inwardly curved distalportion 8.

Side arms 9 and It) in turn each comprise two main portions: anintermediate portion, 14 and 15 respectively, and a terminal portion, 16and 17 respectively. The intermediate portions 14 and 15 each have onehorizontal convolution 18 and 19 therein and these convolutions areformed in a plane substantially parallel to the occlusal plane of theteeth. It should be noted that convolutions 18 and I9 ext nd in opposeddirections. It will of course be understood that vertical convolutionsmay be employed. The terminal portions 16 and 17 are each doubly bent sothat they extend in a plane at substantially right angles to theirrespective intermediate portions. This is best shown in FIGURE 2 wherethe terminal portion 16 is initially bent upward at 12 throughapproximately and then downward through approXi mateiy at 13. Terminalportions 16 and 17 have a length greater than tubes 5 and o and have adistance between them equal to the distance between tubes 5 and 6 sothat when inserted portions 16 and 17 project be yond the bottom oftubes 5 and 6.

With the present invention when a patient requires a space to bemaintained between two teeth the practitioner will fit a band 1 around atooth adjacent the space in the usual manner. The distance across thespace is then approximately measured and a space maintainer having anactual length x but an effective length of at least y, the length of thespace, is selected. Commercially, the space-maintaining member will beprovided in a variety of sizes. The band 1 is then removed from thetooth and terminal portions 16 and 17 of the selected spacemaintainingmember are inserted into tubes 5 and 6 and their furthest extremitiesare bent up in the manner shown in FIGURE 3. Space-maintaining member 7is now firmly secured to band 1. Band 1 is then replaced around thetooth and firmly cemented in position. At this time the space-maintainer7 will have the position indicated by the solid lines of FIGURE 4. Whenthe cement is set pressure is then applied to the space-maintainer 7 atthe points and directions indicated by arrows 2t) and 21. Under thispressure the intermediate portions 14 and 15 of the space-maintainingmember 7 will straighten and the intermediate portions 14 and 15 willassume the position indicated by the dotted lines. The distal por- 3tion 8 will now abut the adjacent tooth and the device is securelyfitted.

As will be seen from FIGURE 5 the upper extent of the terminal portions16 are below the occlusal surface 22, level of the teeth. The doublebend of the terminal portions 16 and 17 serve two main purposes; tomaintain a large contact area between the space-maintaining member 7 andthe band 1; and to ensure that the distal portion 8 engages the adjacenttooth at a point no higher than its contact point. The contact point forthe purposes of this description is that point on the adjacent toothwhich projects furthest over the space to be maintained. It will beobvious that if the space-maintaining member engages the adjacent toothabove this point then the space-maintaining member will not be firmlyfitted.

In FIGURE 7 an alternative embodiment 7 of the space-maintaining memberis illustrated in side view. The only structural difierence between thismember and the member 7 illustrated in FIGURE 5 is the absence of thedouble bend. There is only one bend 23 in the terminal portion 16' ofspace-maintaining member 7' and this at substantially right angles tothe intermediate portion 14'. Side arm 15' which is not visible in thisview is similarly bent, and the intermediate portions 13' and 19', thelatter of which is not visible in this view are convoluted in a similarmanner to intermediate portions 13 and 19 of the embodiment of FIGURE 2.

When a space maintainer of the present invention is to be employed tomaintain a space left by two missing teeth as in FIGURE 8 then thespace-maintaining member 7" should be supported at the distal end 8".FIGURES 8 and 9 show one such form of support. On tooth a band 1 of theform illustrated in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4 is secured and aspace-maintaining member 7 is secured as previously described. However,around tooth 26 a second band 27 is secured. Band 27 also has aconventional structure but on the side adjacent the space a pocket 28 issecured. Into this pocket the distal portion 8" of the space-maintainingmember 7" is turned down at and the device is accordingly supported atboth extremities.

The space-maintainer of the present invention may also be employed as aguide for erupting teeth. FIGURES 10 and 11 illustrate such a use. Whenthe position of the erupting tooth 30 has been determined by X-rays thepractitioner secures a band 1 to an adjacent tooth 33, and an incision29 is made to permit entry of the distal portion 8" of the spacingmember. The spacing member 7 is then bent at the required point 32 andinserted into incision 29 to abut the erupting tooth 30. Simultaneously,the terminal portions 16" and 17" are inserted in their respective tubes5" and 6" where they are secured by bending upwards as previouslydescribed.

FIGURE 12 illustrates a plan view of the teeth in a mouth where teethare missing from spaces 41 and 42 on opposite sides of the month. Inthis embodiment conventional bands 43 and 44 are secured to teeth 45 and46 adjacent the areas to be preserved. Straps 47 and 48 of similarstructure to strap 2 are respectively secured to bands 43 and 44.However, in this embodiment the two tubes 49 and 50 on band 47, and 51and 52 on band 48, are secured in a different relationship to theedentulous areas and the tooth. Tubes 50 and 52 are located on themesio-lingual angle of bands 43 and 44 respectively, and tubes 49 and 51are disposed on the lingual sides of their respective bands.

The two tubes on each band are spaced apart a distance equal to thedistance between the adjacent terminal portions of the space-maintainerso that these terminal portions may be inserted without distortion ofthe spacemaintaining member. It should also be noted that thedisposition of the tubes will permit the space-maintaining member to beworn with a minimum of inconvenience to the wearer.

The space-maintaining member in this embodiment comprises two individualwires 53 and 54 which for the greater part of their length are disposedone above the other. For the purpose of this description wires 53 and 54will be termed the superior and inferior wires respectively.

The superior wire 53 comprises an anterior arch portion 57 ofsubstantially arcuate form at each end of which convoluted expandingportions 58 and 59 are formed. Wire 53 is then terminated at each end byanchoring portions 55 and 56.

As shown in FIGURE 13 the anchoring portion 55 has a substantiallyhorizontal part 61 at which it is secured to the inferior wire 54. It isthen bent upward and buccally at 64 and bent downward through an angleof 180 at 65. Anchoring portion 56 has a similar structure.

The inferior Wire 54 has a construction similar to the superior wire 53:it has a substantially arcuate anterior arch portion 62, at each end ofwhich convoluted expanding portions 63 and 66 are provided. Wire 54 isthen terminated at each end by anchoring portions 67 and 68. Anchoringportion 67 is shown in FIGURE 13. It has a substantially horizontalportion 69 which as previously mentioned is secured to portion 61 ofwire 53. At the end of portion 69 wire 53 is turned upward at 70 andthen bent downward at 71. At the other end of the wires the anchoringportions 56 and 68 are bent to the same form as their respectivecorresponding portions 55 and 67, and a similar joint corresponding tothe joint of portions 61 and 69 is provided. Clamps 73 and 74 whichembrace both the inferior and superior wires 54 and 53 are provided ateach end of the anterior arch portions 57 and 62 adjacent the junctionswith the convoluted expanding sections. The clamps may be secured to oneor other of the wires or may be quite free so that they permit relativemovement of the individual wires, and anterior to each of the clampsstops such as 75 and 76 are provided to limit the relative forwardmovement of the wires when being adjusted.

It should be noted from FIGURE 13 that the upper level of the clamps isbelow the occlusal level 89 of the teeth and on substantially the samelevel as the upper extent of the anchoring portion indicated at 65. Itshould also be noted that the convolutions of the expanding portions 58and 63 are not parallel. The superior wire 53 has approximately two andone-half convolutions compared with two convolutions on the inferiorwire 54. It will of course be understood that the correspondingexpanding portions on the other side will be similarly convoluted. Thelowest extent of the convolutions of the superior wire 53 is in the sameplane as the junction along 61 and 69, and the upper extent of theconvolutions of the inferior wire 54 is also in the same plane.

As in the previous embodiments the practitioner fits the bands 43 and 44around teeth 45 and 46. The required space-maintaining member is thenselected, the bands removed from the teeth, and the selected memberinserted so that the turned down parts of the anchoring portions areinserted in their respective tubes.

The extreme terminal portions which project beyond the tubes are thenbent up as shown in FIGURE 13 at 77 and 78. The extreme terminalportions are similarly bent up on the other side of the mouth and thespacemaintaining member is firmly secured to bands 43 and 44. Theassembled space-maintainer is then replaced in the mouth and adjusted.Since the two teeth to which the space-maintaining member is to besecured may be differently inclined each wire is individually adjustedby compressing their respective convolutions until the leading edges ofthe anterior arches abut the lingual surfaces of the incisors.

I claim:

1. An orthodontic appliance which comprises a band for a first tooth,securing means on said band, and a spacing maintaining member, saidspacing maintaining member comprising a reversely bent wire having twoside arms and a distal portion, said distal portion being arcuately bentto engage a second tooth, said side arms each having at least oneconvolution therein and a terminally turned-down portion engaging saidsecuring means on said band.

2. An orthodontic appliance as claimed in claim 1 wherein said securingmeans comprises a strap secured to the outer surface adjacent the spaceto be preserved, said strap having a pair of transversely extendingindentations forming a pair of spaced-apart upwardly extending tubesprojecting over said space.

3. An orthodontic appliance as claimed in claim 1 wherein said securingmeans comprises a strap secured to the outer surface adjacent the spaceto be preserved, said strap having a pair of transversely extendingindentations forming a pair of spaced-apart upwardly extending tubesprojecting over said space; said strap being secured to said band insuch a manner that one of said tubes extends upwardly at themesio-lingual angle of said band and said other tube extends upwardly onthe lingual surface of said band.

4. An orthodontic appliance comprising a band securable about a toothadjacent an area to be preserved, and including a pair of spaced axialparallel wire receiving tubes in axial alignment with the axis of saidband and a space-maintaining member comprising a reversely bent wirehaving two side arms and a distal portion, said distal portion beingarcuately bent to engage another tooth, said side arms each having anintermediate portion and a terminal portion, an equal number ofhorizontal convolutions in each of said intermediate portions, saidconvolutions being opposite and extending in opposed directions, saidterminal portions each having a first upward bend and a second downwardbend the latter being retained in said tubes, said terminal portionsextending in a direction substantially normal to said intermediateportions and said intermediate portions extending in a planesubstantially parallel with and below the occlusal plane of the teeth.

5. An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, said convolutions insaid side arms being opposed and extending outwardly in oppositedirections whereby passage is provided for an erupting tooth.

6. An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, said side arms eachhaving an intermediate portion and a terminal portion, an equal numberof horizontal convolutions in each of said intermediate portions, saidconvolutions being opposite and extending in opposed directions, saidterminal portions each having a first upward bend and a second downwardbend therein whereby said terminal portions extend in a directionsubstantially normal to said intermediate portions and said intermediateportions extend in a plane substantially parallel with and below theocclusal plane of the teeth.

7. An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein said securingmeans comprises a pair of tubes secured to said band.

8. An orthodontic appliance which comprises a band for a first tooth,said band having securing means including a pair of tubes rigidlysecured thereto, said tubes extending upwardly and spaced apart apredetermined distance, and a spacing maintaining member detachablysecured to said band by means of said tubes, said spacing memberincluding a convolutioned portion thereby being longitudinallyadjustable to engage a second tooth whereby said teeth are maintained inspaced relation.

9. An orthodontic appliance as claimed in claim 8 wherein saidspace-maintaining member comprises a reversely-bent wire having a distalportion, and a pair of side arms, said side arms each including anintermediate portion and a terminal portion, said intermediate portionnormally extending in a plane substantially parallel with the occlusalplane of said teeth, said terminal portion being inserted into one ofsaid tubes of said securing means on said band, and said distal portionbeing adapted to be bent through a vertical plane whereby bending saiddistal portion extends said space-maintaining member to engage saidsecond tooth.

10. An orthodontic appliance comprising a band adapted to be securedabout a tooth adjacent an area to be preserved, securing means includinga pair of spaced wire receiving tubes on said band, a space-maintainingmember comprising a reversely-bent wire with two side arms and a distalportion, said distal portion being arcuately bent to engage a secondtooth, said side arms each having at least one convolution therein andbeing turned down terminally and inserted into respective tubes on theband thereby detachably securing said space-maintaining member to saidband.

11. An orthodontic appliance comprising in combination a band for afirst tooth, a pair of substantially axially parallel tubes on the outersurface of said band and a space-maintaining member, saidspace-maintaining member comprising a reversely bent wire having twoside arms and a distal portion, the later being arcuately bent to engagea second tooth, said side arms each having at least one convolutiontherein and a terminally turned-down portion inserted into one of thetubes of said pair, the distance between said tubes being substantiallyequal to the distance between said turned-down portions of the side armsand said turned-down portions having a length exceeding that of thelength of the tubes and projecting thereform, whereby upward bending ofsaid projecting portions rigidly secures said space-maintaining memberto said band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,044,764 Federspiel Nov. 19, 1912 1,137,298 Walker Apr. 27, 19151,924,009 Weil Aug. 22, 1933 1,976,115 Boyd et a1. Oct. 9, 19342,242,914 Knox May 20, 1941 2,502,902 Tofllemire Apr. 4, 1950 2,756,502Bowles July 31, 1956 2,897,598 Kesling Aug. 4, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS515,071 Great Britain Nov. 24, 1939 OTHER REFERENCES Arnold: DentalSurvey; May 1935; pages 49-54 (page 54 relied on).

1. AN ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE WHICH COMPRISES A BAND FOR A FIRST TOOTH,SECURING MEANS ON SAID BAND, AND A SPACING MAINTAINING MEMBER, SAIDSPACING MAINTAINING MEMBER COMPRISING A REVERSELY BENT WIRE HAVING TWOSIDE ARMS AND A DISTAL PORTION, SAID DISTAL PORTION BEING ARCUATELY BENTTO ENGAGE A SECOND TOOTH, SAID SIDE ARMS EACH HAVING AT LEAST ONECONVOLUTION THEREIN AND A TERMINALLY TURNED-DOWN PORTION ENGAGING SAIDSECURING MEANS ON SAID BAND.